


Savior

by StakeTheHeart



Category: Victorious
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3668475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StakeTheHeart/pseuds/StakeTheHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jade goes to The Gorilla Club to watch poor souls get a beating in various ways and forget about her troubles. When Tori shows up looking for her she finds herself in danger. Jade takes it upon herself to get her out of the danger, even if that means facing it head on. When all is said and done, Tori is at her side, ready to take care of her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Savior

If someone told me I would be putting myself in danger just to save some chick I hated than I wouldn't have hesitated to use my scissors on them in the most interesting ways imaginable. However, if that person happened to be one Victoria Vega, then it would be understandable. That was because I didn't know how, or when, or even why, but my perception of her began to drastically change since the day I met her and vowed to run her out of Hollywood Arts. That obviously didn't work because she had a very determined personality that even I could admire. She was impressive at the best of times and completely annoying at the worst.

Right at the moment I couldn't decide whether the choice I had just made was a good one or not because I'm currently in full body pain and unwilling to move an inch. Not to mention I was pretty comfortable where I was at the same time. I still have no clue how this even happened, or what would happen next, but I made my decision and I was sticking to it. I didn't dwell too much on the possible outcome that I could have been severely injured because that didn't matter. She was in danger and I acted. My mind spiraled around what had happened not too long ago, how I selflessly put myself in harm's way all to keep a girl I used to hate but now like very much, from getting beaten to a pulp.

* * *

_I climbed out of my car and headed for the Gorilla Club entrance, ready to try and wind down with some good old fashioned entertainment via pain of others. It was just another day for me. I often came here to sit back, drink my coffee, and watch poor dumb-asses in pain as they desperately tried to prove they were tough. Most of the time they weren't and they paid for it. After signing the usual papers I walked over to my favorite perch on a rail to watch the blood show. Sometimes the occasional loss of teeth was added to the mix, which was also fun to see._

_I brought the warm cup of coffee up to take a sip. A small smile curled at my lips when a guy was knocked clear off the path by the Balls of Pain. I shook my head as he got up and tried again. My attention turned to a chick who was tossed from the fire spitting bunny and slammed in the back as she fell, hitting the floor heavily. That one pulled a grin from me. The gorilla was busy dragging yet another unfortunate victim away from his banana. The dude got away only to be knocked out with a well-aimed swing from the gorilla. He fell over, out cold, and most likely not getting up for some time._

" _Pathetic," I muttered, taking another drink. My sharp gaze passed over the trials once more as I relaxed and laughed at other people's misfortune. That is, until I recognized a very familiar face among them. My interest piqued as my body straightened up. What was Vega doing here? Hadn't she learned already that this place was dangerous? She broke her arms the last time she was here after all. I slid from my perch to silently blend with a nearby crowd so I could watch her without her spotting me. She finished filling out the forms at the door and was now making her way down the stairs. She looked confident enough but I could see the subtle way her eyebrows creased in concern. She looked to be searching for something, or maybe someone. I tore my gaze from her and turned away. It wouldn't help if she saw me. In fact, I hoped she didn't. Vega was a distraction I did not want to fall in right now. I came here to escape that frustration. Ever since my break up with Beck I had to be more careful around her._

_More and more I wanted to just tell her how I felt, but I couldn't. I hated that I couldn't. I mean, I'm Jade fucking West and I don't even have the guts to confess to Vega of all people. What was wrong with me? I was turning into a vulnerable love sick teen, that's what. I hadn't even gone through this with Beck. It made me wonder whether it was a good thing or not. I sighed and tossed my now empty cup before heading for the door. I was almost up the stairs when I heard her voice rising. I spun around to see her putting up a decent verbal fight with this wiry, but broad shouldered guy. I recognized him right away as Hector, the guy who took turns with Luke, the current guy in the gorilla suit. Both were a disaster when it came to communication. Especially if their high testosterone levels clouded their heads, which happened a lot. I watched as Hector grew red in the face before slowly advancing on Vega. I hesitated, caught between just taking the stairs, turning a blind eye, and leaving like I was never here; b_ _ut a stronger, steadily growing, part of me said otherwise._

_Hell Vega, you'll be the death of me, I swear. Sometimes I caught myself doing anything for her. This was one of those times. I groaned in defeat and finally decided to walk in their direction. Now, normally, I wouldn't dream of defending Vega in any way, but despite standing her ground, she was heading to a beating she probably wasn't ready for. I found myself wanting, no, needing to save her; to make sure she got out of this predicament unscathed. I reached the arguing pair just in time to bat away Hector's hand from shoving her. Both of them immediately looked to see who interrupted them. I saw Vega's eyes widen while Hector just grit his teeth in fury. He knew me. I knew that. The first time I came in here he was the gorilla and I beat the snot out of him as well as make a fool of him. He was mocked a long time after until he bulked up and took down a guy twice his size. Since then, no one had beaten him; not even Luke. Vega was lucky she went up against him and not Hector, but now she here she was. That was something I couldn't let happen._

" _West, you're back. Ready to try your hand again?" he spat at me, clear hatred in his flashing eyes. I crossed my arms and cocked a hip._

" _I would love to, but not today. I just came to drag her out from under your temper tantrum," I shot back, my usual casual and uncaring tone in place. He bristled at my words and tone, most likely angry he hadn't gotten a stronger reaction out of me. He maybe even expected fear, but that was asking way too much. I wasn't scared of anyone. Tori looked from me to him and back again, confusion written all over her face._

" _Don't sound like you give a shit, West. I know you don't care what happens to anyone so why don't you let the twig over here fight her own battle?" he questioned mockingly, jabbing a finger at me before turning to jab it at Vega. He hadn't touched me when he pointed at me but when he turned to Vega, he roughly dug his finger into her shoulder. I saw her flinch as her brows creased but she didn't say anything. My own temper flared. I shoved him away to stand between them._

" _Look_ _ **pal**_ _, why don't_ _you_ _go back and play gorilla. At least then you'll be in your natural habitat," I sneered at him, getting in his face which was slowly turning purple by now. He shoved me back and naturally I stumbled. He was superior in strength but I wouldn't let that stop me. I felt warm, supportive, hands gripping my shoulders from behind, keeping me from falling. Vega was touching me yet I couldn't find it in me to care. I only noted the confidence she gave me from that one simple action._

" _Jade, please don't. I'm ok. I came here to find you and I did. Let's just get out of here," she mumbled, confidence gone to be replaced with something like fear and worry. I shook off her hands and threw a questioning look at her over my shoulder before leveling my eyes on the asshole in front of me. I would have to ask her why she was looking for me later._

" _I'm not afraid of him," I muttered, my jaw clenched._

" _That isn't the point. Please, Jade," she pleaded again._

" _What's the matter, West? Scared?" he taunted with a laugh. My hands clenched at my sides._

" _No. I've beaten your ass before and I can do it again," I retorted angrily, vaguely aware that he was goading me into a fight that would not be settled with words. Vega must have realized that was where the mounting tension was going too because she hastily grabbed my arm and tugged on me. I didn't move an inch._

" _Fuck you!" he shouted, arms raising and at the ready._

" _I'd never even consider it," I replied derisively. I heard Vega groan next to me, the tone reminding me of someone whose fear was making them sick. I gently pushed her back, clear of any possible injuries, just as he swung. I had to twist out of the way at the last minute to evade it._

" _Jade!" Vega called to me, panic in her voice. I wanted to savor it for a few seconds but I wasn't even allowed that. He quickly aimed for her next, a devilish grin twisting his features. I easily redirected his blow, stepping between them once more. He faltered slightly at my sudden appearance so that he clipped my chin instead of full on clocking me in the head. I let the slight twinge rush through me before I struck out at him. My fist dug into his stomach, doing nothing but slowing him down some. I dodged a swing, blocked another, and responded with an upper cut to his chin._

" _Shit!" he shouted, wiping a hand over his mouth. He had bitten his lip when my fist landed, drawing blood. I smiled tauntingly and gestured for him to continue. He practically snarled as he launched at me. I had enough time to realize what he intended and shoved Vega further out of the way. I couldn't check to see if she fell from my abrupt decision because his hard body slammed into me, forcing me back so that my back collided with the unforgiving metal of the rails behind me. I sucked in a painful breath the moment the rail dug sharply into my spine. He didn't waste any time kneeing me in the torso. My teeth grit at the pain but I didn't make a sound. By now we attracted the other participants' attention because we had a small crowd gathered around us. I swayed on the spot unsteadily, only for him to grip the front of my shirt in his fist and pull me closer. We were almost nose to nose._

" _Do you have anything to say now?" he sneered. I chuckled, my smirk back in place. I stared him down defiantly before replying._

" _You're a pathetic waste of space with no morals. Beating up a girl is sure to show everyone how manly you are," I retorted fiercely. His eyes narrowed dangerously, and before I knew it, his fist met my face. To say it hurt was an understatement. My vision swam, I felt dizzy, and for a few moments I couldn't think straight. The pain radiated through my head in a pounding beat that echoed in my ears. I was vaguely aware of being thrown to the cold, hard, ground. I rolled over so I could keep him in my blurry vision. His foot lashed out to kick me in the side, pain racing through me again. My body seized and curled in on itself in an effort to absorb the blow. I coughed, my breathing hard to regulate. Still, I refused to voice the agony tearing at me. He hauled me off the floor by the back of my shirt and swung on me again followed by kicking my legs out from under me. I fell hard, unable to soften the landing. Great, I was on the floor again._

" _Stop it!" I heard a familiar voice demand. I opened my watering eyes to see Vega, face warped in intense worry and fury. She made it look like seeing my ass get handed to me for once was torture for her. Funny, I would have thought she would be glad I got what I deserved. But then again, that wasn't how Vega was. She was a kind, caring, patient person; even to me._

" _Stay…stay out of this V-Vega," I panted, forcing the words out as I tried to stand. I got to my feet shakily, my legs threatening to collapse under me once I was up. I held my side and turned back to my opponent._

" _Are we done yet? I still have some terrorizing of my own to do. Oh, and a writing assignment on some douchebag in history. Maybe I should mention you?" I taunted him, eager to poke fun at him even if I would receive more injuries. I couldn't help it. I was a glutton for punishment I guess, even though this was the bad kind of pain. He growled and advanced. I stood where I was, waiting for him to get closer. As soon as he was in striking range, I cocked my fist back and put all my strength into the punch I aimed at his jaw. I struck the bottom corner, hearing it crack and loosen under the blow, hopefully tearing muscle in the process. He deserved it for laying a finger on Vega. His head jerked to the side before his body followed, crashing into the floor. He didn't get up. I let out a sound of tired triumph and hocked up some saliva to spit on him while he was down._

" _Yeah, well, fuck you too," I grumbled, giving him a sharp kick in the side before stumbling away from him. Vega's concerned frown was the first thing my eyes landed on when I turned away. I took a step in her direction before my legs shook and finally gave out. She rushed forward, her thin but surprisingly strong arms wrapped around me. My own grip found purchase around her middle, trying to remain standing by clinging to her. It was weird but I felt utterly safe and comfortable in her embrace. Why hadn't I allowed her to hug me before? It felt so good. Or maybe it was just the fact that anything but more pain felt nice coupled with the fact that I could just pass out right now for a few hours and her arms seemed to be the perfect place to do so. I think I might have brain damage, but if this was a result of that I wasn't complaining._

" _Ok, everyone clear out! No more to see!" I heard a gruff voice announce. I heard shuffling and excited voices surround me but I only had enough attention to focus on Vega. I could hear and feel her racing heart against my ear where my head rested on her chest. She was practically holding me up on her own. I took a deep breath and forced my body to relieve her of some of my weight._

" _Take it slow," she cautioned softly, helping me stand more upright. I cringed at my sore muscles flexing with each movement but carried on slowly as she advised. With my cooperation she managed to half drag half walk me to a bench against the wall in a shadowy nook off to the side. She sat me down before sitting next to me. She gently guided me into laying down, easing my body into a position where I used her lap as a pillow. She gazed down at me with big, scared, brown eyes. Her hands carefully brushed away my hair to stroke my face. I closed my eyes and just basked in her soft touch. She was so nurturing. My breaths evened out as I finally let myself fall into a relaxed state of mind, thoughts of Vega and proudly keeping her safe spinning in my head. She was safe, that's all that mattered. I repeated this until I lost consciousness._

* * *

That was when I fell into a dreamless sleep to wake up an hour later, my sore body burning in disagreement with my actions. Hell, I really did it this time. I groaned and cracked open my eyes to see Tori looking down at me. Waking up to her face was something I looked forward to happening more often. She looked relieved to see me awake. She also didn't look as freaked out since the last time I saw her. She offered me a hopeful smile which I returned the best I could.

"Hey," I croaked, my voice cracking when I flinched. I had taken a deep breath and pain pulled at me. Her brows slanted, her eyes softening further.

"God, you must have really gotten knocked out to be smiling after all this. And at me for that matter," she tried to joke. My smile grew as much as my sore jaw could allow without aching.

"Jade, why did you do that?" she asked, head tilting curiously. She pressed a hand to my cheek which I leaned into with a sigh. Neither of us seemed to mind the contact.

"Why did I do what?" I replied. She sighed and rolled her eyes before pulling away to retrieve an ice pack at her side. She pressed it to my jaw gently. I hissed at the sting that resulted so she quickly pulled back apologetically.

"It's ok, I'm fine. What do you mean?" I said, waving away her apology.

"You know what I mean. You stood up for me. You were beaten up because of me," she replied, a tone in her voice that drew me in. I liked her voice, and her caring nature in this moment, and that all her attention was on me; so I answered truthfully.

"I couldn't allow you to get hurt, Tori," I told her firmly, my gaze trying to convey my sincerity, eyebrows furrowing to show I was serious.

"But-but why? You don't even like me," she said, at a lost for my behavior. Her stuttering was probably due to hearing me address her, quiet softly might I sickeningly add, by her first name.

"Because I couldn't let someone I care about get hurt," I answered truthfully again. She looked confused for a second before disbelief followed, then that was replaced by a touched smile.

"You care about me?" she inquired next. I let out a pained but amused chuckle and stared into her searching eyes.

"Yes, very much for your information. He was a jerk I never got along with anyway and he seriously needed someone to knock him down a peg. Plus, he had no right getting violent in the first place. I would have left him alone if he hadn't laid a hand on you but that was his mistake. I was more than glad to show him who's still the boss around here," I stated, happy my voice was gaining its hard edge back. She giggled softly and traced her finger over my jaw in a feather light touch. Her eyes had sparkled upon hearing my confession but they dimmed as she examined my face. Now that I thought about it, I must be a mess.

"Does it hurt a lot? It looks painful," she remarked, biting her bottom lip in worry. I rolled my eyes and reached up to gently remove her lip from her teeth's torture. I let my fingers graze over her cheekbones before sliding off her face to rest on my stomach. I knew she was good looking and attractive, but I hadn't quiet noticed how beautiful she was. Maybe I really had screwed up my brain, but really, I didn't mind. I didn't mind at all. Tori had closed her eyes at my touch which resurrected my smirk.

"Yeah, I feel sore all over but I don't care. I accomplished what I set out to do. You're safe and out of trouble. That's all that matters," I replied. Her bright smile finally made its appearance.

"Hey Jade, let's get out of here," she advised. Her hands enveloped mine and rubbed soothingly over my knuckles. It felt good against the bruised skin.

"Good idea," I agreed. With help from her we managed to get me to my feet. She set aside the ice pack until I was up and stable. She passed it to me before we set off. We made our way to the exit, garnering stares as well as whispers along the way.

"People were amazed you knocked him out. They were eager to meet you and crowded us at one point while you were recovering. The manager came out to clear them away. You'll probably be really famous around here for a while," she explained.

"Well what do you expect? I wasn't going to lose," I told her confidently, allowing a cocky grin. She laughed, her grip tightening on me.

"You're too much Jade West. How anyone can stand you is a mystery," she teased. I grinned cheekily at her and tightened my own grip on her.

"You are one mysterious person then Victoria Vega," I replied, leaning close to stare into her eyes. Her breath caught before a smile curled her lips. We had just reached the stairs but froze when our eyes met. I reached out and laid a hand on her cheek, my thumb brushing against her soft tan skin.

"I would kiss you right now but I'm not sure if I could pull it off without hurting myself further should things get heated," I mumbled playfully, grinning when she laughed at my antics. I joined in her laughter before giving her an eskimo kiss. She surprised me with a gentle peck to my lips before I could move away. She was blushing as soon as she did it.

"You always did amaze me Vega. You never fail to make me curious and impressed almost every time. You're a challenge and a puzzle I appreciate but you're also so caring and sweet it makes me sick. How you can interest me as well as repel me I still don't know. All I know is, I want to find out why I can't stop thinking about you," I told her candidly with a tilt of my head. Her eyes widened in shock before the sputtering began.

"Deep breaths," I advised playfully. She did as she was told before starting again.

"Do you really mean that Jade?" she questioned, ducking her head shyly.

"I wouldn't have let that wazzbag mess me up if I didn't," I responded, my snarky tone finally returning as well. She frowned but it was strangely more of a good-natured pout.

"Poor Jade, ruining her beautiful good looks all for me," she teased, my own eyes widening at her words. She managed to catch me off guard.

"What? You are," she went on honestly. I pulled her closer to rest my forehead on hers, just enjoying the new and different, but good, turn of events.

"Want to kick back at my place? I'm still learning from her, but my mom is good at patching people up," she offered. I pulled away to look into her hopeful eyes.

"Sounds like a plan," I agreed with a nod. With that, she helped me climb the stairs out of The Gorilla Club and into my car; Tori taking the wheel. Trina had dropped her off when she had asked. I wondered again why she had even stepped foot alone in a place like that just to look for me. It turned out she was trying to find me because she knew I was feeling bummed over Beck and that I would ignore everyone in favor of solitude. She was being a good friend and checking up on me, something I would have gotten mad at had it been anyone else bugging me. We arrived at her house and parked. She tossed me my keys before getting out and walking around to help me out. We walked together up to her house. I waited, leaning against her for balance, while she fished out her keys from her pocket to unlock the door. We stepped in and I immediately picked the closest couch to collapse on, landing on my stomach. I heard Tori laugh at my obvious exhaustion before the couch dipped next to my side. A hand laid between my shoulder blades and began rubbing. I groaned my appreciation and stretched out under her hand.

"Hey, where's your mom?" I asked, lazily rolling over to lay on my back so I could look at her. I held her hand in mine, toying with her slim fingers, my own finger softly tracing along hers. She was watching the movements carefully before her eyes flicked up to mine.

"She's probably in her room. She has the day off today. I'll go get her," she replied, standing up. I reluctantly let her hand slide out of my hold and watched her leave. I heard her lightly march up the stairs before silence fell. Almost a minute later, she was making her way back down. I didn't hear another person with her.

"She's not here. I'm going to at least text her to see where she went. She usually tells me before she leaves…" Tori began, her thoughts trailing off, phone in hand.

"Is Trina home?" I asked, my tone hoping for a negative response.

"No," she answered. I could hear just as much relief in her voice as I felt.

"Great, then how about you get over here and show me what you can do," I suggested. She walked over with a shake of her head.

"I don't really know if I'm able-" she started to disagree but I held up a hand.

"Vega, I'm sore and bruised. At least help me to the bathroom so I can take a warm shower and relax. After, I think you can probably pull off a decent massage. That's all I really need," I told her, a little impatient. She looked back at me, nervously fidgeting with her phone, before nodding and pocketing the device.

"Sure," she replied simply. I smiled and started getting up. She helped me to my feet, took me to the bathroom upstairs, and then sat me on the closed lid of the toilet.

"Get it going. I have to try and get out of these clothes without hurting myself," I muttered. I saw her body tense but she continued to comply. By the time she turned back to me I was leaning on the counter with my boots, socks, and shirt discarded. I was just about to pull my pants down but my battered torso was in no shape for me to bend enough to push them down. Without a word, Tori moved over to help me. Her hands shook a little, much to my amusement, but they grabbed a hold of my jeans and slowly pushed them down for me. I watched her quietly, not missing the blush that spread over her face. Once they fell at my feet I kicked them off. Now that I was almost naked, my fair skin displayed the mottled and multicolored bruises that marred my body. I heard Tori's breath hitch at the sight while I wondered if I should take a look in the mirror behind me. Warm fingertips suddenly coasted down my stomach. I closed my eyes, trying to keep my breathing even.

"It's a shame. These horrible marks are blocking my view of such a breathtaking sight," she whispered. She looked at me at that moment, not a trace of shyness present. She lightly rested her hand on my hip while her other lifted to carefully hold my chin, moving it this way and that to study my face.

"You might need a lot of make-up work for school tomorrow," she commented. I grabbed the hand holding my chin and locked my fingers with hers. My other hand pulled her closer by the waist.

"Vega, keep your hands to yourself unless you want mine memorizing you. Believe me, I've been dying to," I told her casually, an eyebrow quirked. She wasn't able to reply to that so I smiled and slipped past her.

"I'm looking forward to a shower so much I'm going to strip whether you're still standing here or not," I warned her. She hastily beat a retreat and closed the door behind her.

"That's what I thought," I muttered, knowing she wasn't that daring. I took off the last of my clothes and stepped into the relaxing spray of water. I felt my body unwind under the water streaming over my skin. Once I was done, I shut off the water and leaned against the wall for a while thinking. I never thought I would consider a sleepover at Tori's house, let alone having her take care of me all because I stuck up for her. I didn't think I would ever be in this situation. I heard the door open hesitantly, putting my thoughts on hold.

"I have clothes for you. I'll just set them right here and leave," she told me. Before she could go I let the conflicting words that swam in my head fall from my tongue.

"Thank you," I told her softly. I heard her pause, just as unsure as I was, but probably for different reasons.

"I mean it, Tori. Thank you," I repeated, finding it not at all hard to say once or even twice.

"You're welcome Jade. I'm glad to help, but I'm sure you know that," she replied, a smile in her voice. I allowed my own content smile to spread behind the safety of the shower curtain.

"Yeah, I know," I told her with a nod even though she couldn't see. She left after that and I waited a few seconds before pushing aside the curtains and grabbing the fresh towel folded over the clothes I was given. I dried off and got dressed, hung up the towel, and then left in search of Tori. I found her in her room, leaning more on one leg, hand on her chin, head tilted, and trying to decide what movie to watch no doubt. She was facing a small shelf packed full of films. I walked over, and without thinking, wrapped my arms around her from behind. I rested my chin on her shoulder and sighed. Her hands came up to rest on mine after I was comfortable. I was quickly coming to the conclusion that I liked being close to Tori whether it was her arms around me or vice versa. I also had to admit, at least to myself, that I was falling for her more than I had anticipated.

"Is this alright?" I asked her quietly, turning my head to brush my nose against her neck. A shiver worked its way down her body, making me smirk.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Good, 'cause I'm not moving," I told her bluntly. She giggled and raised a hand to point at the shelf in front of us.

"What do you feel like? I can throw one in so you can have something to watch while I give you that massage," she suggested. I scanned the selections before landing on one that was decent enough. I pointed it out to her and she retrieved it. I released her so she could set it up while I wandered over to her desk. I spotted her brush and took that with me to her bed. I brushed out my hair and watched as she bustled about. I couldn't believe I actually didn't mind this. I'm even more at ease here than when I spend the night at Cat's house. I got up to put away the brush then sat back down.

"Vega, do you have-" I began to ask, when something hit me in the shoulder. It bounced off harmlessly and fell in my lap. It was exactly what I was looking for. I ignored the fact that she interrupted me and shot me with the hair tie. I pulled up my hair and tied it back before laying out on my stomach. However, I sat back up to pull off the loose shirt and set it aside before laying back down again. Tori walked over to set the remote near my hand and then climbed up on the bed next to me. She was wearing a very colorful pajama shirt and shorts that made me chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked, shifting behind me to get comfortable.

"Nothing, I just noticed…" I started to answer, my sentence getting lost on its way from my head to my mouth when I felt her straddle my waist. Her hands spread out over my back and a low hum of acknowledgement slid from my mouth instead without my consent.

"I haven't even done anything yet," she said with a knowing giggle.

"Just feeling your touch is enough, but keep going," I mumbled, my half lidded gaze watching the screen; a lazy smile on my face. Stupid talented hands. How was her touch this comforting? It felt so good. When did I seek her attention at all? My thoughts quieted as I was reduced to autopilot when she began kneading my knotted muscles gently, carefully. She chuckled every time I made a sound of appraisal or outright told her it felt good. At one point I wasn't even aware when my eyes slid shut. I was almost lost to sleep when she stopped and got up.

"Where are you going?" I muttered sleepily. She crawled over to lay on her side facing me.

"Nowhere if you don't want me to," she answered. I smiled tiredly before pulling into a stretch. I pushed off the bed to grab the shirt and put it back on before laying down again. We watched each other silently until Tori reached out to trace over my face with her fingers absentmindedly. I closed my eyes and let her.

"You really do have a black eye this time," she informed me, referring to the time I had faked it to get her in trouble.

"Oh no, I'll never live that incident down," I replied, my voice switching easily into the one I used to mock her. I still hadn't opened my eyes but by the sound of her voice she wasn't upset. She knew I was teasing.

"I don't talk like that and you know it," she told me, her fingers falling over my cheek to briefly trace my lips. My hand snaked out to grip hers, halting her movements. I opened my eyes to see her looking from my hand to me questioningly. I kept my face neutral as I got up to guide her onto her back. I leaned over her, my hand coming up to cup her cheek.

"I don't think I properly thanked you," I muttered, mimicking what she had done by tracing her lips with my thumb.

"I, uh, you don't have to...um, what?" she stuttered. I shook my head in amusement before leaning in and pressing my lips to hers. She froze at first, her eyes wide, before she began to respond. We kept it simple and sweet. I pulled away to give her a genuine smile before relocating to her pillows. I got under the blankets and burrowed into the soft pillow. It smelled like her and it further relaxed me.

"I'm ready to crash. What about you?" I asked her.

"Um, yeah, same here," she sputtered. It was adorable when she tripped over her words. She turned off the TV and set the remote aside. After, she slipped in the blankets next to me with her back facing me. I knew she was politely trying to give me space but I didn't want it. I wanted to be as close to her as possible.

"Good night Jade," she said, her tone indicating the polite formality. I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arms around her middle so that I could pull her flush against me. My legs curled around hers as I nuzzled into her shoulder.

"Night Tori," I whispered in her ear. Her hands slid over mine at her waist, hesitant for a moment, before interlocking her fingers with mine snugly. She tucked my arms more securely around her and then let out a content sigh. We didn't fall asleep right away, just occasionally passed our hands over skin once in awhile as our thoughts wandered. We both heard when the rest of her family came home but we still didn't move. Explanations could wait. We eventually fell asleep in each other's arms. The last thought to occur to me was how I had never been happier then when I was with Tori Vega.

The next morning smacked me across the face with an incredibly loud buzzer that went off at exactly six thirty in the morning. I groaned and tried to roll away from it but I was pinned down. Tori had half her body on mine, her arms around me, leg hooked with mine, and her head tucked in the crook of my neck. Her slow breaths ghosted against my neck. I carefully turned to gauge how far the alarm clock was. I held out my arm and reached for it but my index finger was just shy of the button so I shifted just enough to press it. Once it was off I sighed in relief. That thing made the most annoying sound ever. It was way too early for that.

"Having fun?" Tori mumbled slyly, pulling me from my agitated thoughts.

"You've been awake this whole time?" I asked her incredulously. She giggled but nodded.

"I always wake up when my alarm goes off," she admitted, her hands bracing against the bed to push herself up so that she was leaning over me. She smiled brightly and I flicked her nose in retaliation.

"Ow, what was that for?" she asked, rubbing her nose, eyebrows creased.

"You deserved it. Now get off me so I can head home and change. I have to get Cat to cover these bruises. She's an expert at it," I told her. I began to push her off but she clung to me.

"Wait, Jade?" she inquired bashfully, stopping me from moving.

"Yeah?" I replied, waiting for her to continue. She looked away, her face gaining a light blush, before she returned her gaze to mine. She leaned in, watching me for a reaction. I was too caught up in her suddenly intense eyes to give her one so she closed the distance with a kiss anyway. I held her close and returned her passion with fervor. When we parted she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, now that you had your fun I can go now, right?" I spoke up indifferently. She smacked my shoulder with a laugh, catching on that I was joking. I couldn't keep my own crooked smile from appearing.

"Ok then, I'll see you later," she agreed, removing herself from me to get off the bed. She brought over my clothes and I got dressed. I headed for the door but she snagged my wrist before I could get far. I turned to see her bright eyes drawing me back to her.

"Jade, um, what are we?" she ventured carefully. I fully turned toward her, taking her hand in mine to pull her closer.

"What do you want us to be?" I replied with my own question. In all honesty, I wanted her. I wasn't afraid to admit it. I wanted Tori Vega, but I had to see what she thought of me. Could we move past that rough and bumpy road we started down?

"I thought...maybe we could...try," she answered haltingly. She ducked her head but looked up at me shyly. Her half smile was conservative, uncertain.

"I'd like that," I responded. She brightened almost immediately and pulled me into a hug. I returned it before letting her go and turning to the door.

"Think of ideas for a first date and let me know," I threw over my shoulder while opening the door.

"Ok, I will. I'll see you at school Jade," she said, containing the sheer happiness in her eyes.

"See you," I replied, walking out quietly. I heard her run around her room in a rush as soon as the door closed. It was cute when she got all excited, but I would never admit to it out loud. I concentrated on getting out undetected, which was pretty easy. My parents were already gone by the time I got home. I took a shower, got ready, and then called up Cat. She agreed to help so I headed over to her house. She greeted me easily enough but once her eyes took in my appearance she gasped.

"What happened to you this time Jade? I mean, you get in fights with people a lot but this is ridiculous," she reprimanded me in a way I couldn't take seriously. It was like she was scolding a dog for peeing in the house.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with so we can go. I'll take you to school since I'm already here," I commanded. She knew I got into fights here and there so she didn't ask any more questions. She knew the drill; ask no questions, speak of it to no one, and just get to work.

"Kay, kay," said, leading me to her room. I visibly shuddered every time I had to enter her room. It looked like a unicorn threw up rainbows and crapped butterflies in there. I sat at her vanity and let her work on my face. I still refused to see the extent of the damage, but by the focus and attention Cat put into it, I must have be severely bruised this time. She paid special attention to the right side of my jaw, the left side of my cheek, and my right eye. As she worked I found my thoughts returning to Tori. She must have tried to speak to me because when I didn't answer she shook me by the shoulder.

"Jade, what's going on with you?" she questioned in concern.

"What?" I sneered, irritated she shook me from my pleasant thoughts. I got up and looked in the mirror at her handy work. Hell yeah, Cat was too good at this.

"You were out of it this whole time, and don't try to say you weren't because I know what it looks like to not be all there. My brother sometimes gets like that when he's on his special medicine," she explained. My eyes narrowed at her before waving away her comment.

"It's nothing Cat," I told her, heading for the door. She pouted but grabbed her bag and followed me out. At school we parted ways to go to our lockers. As I dug through mine Tori walked up to me. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she approached.

"Hey," she greeted, raising a hand. I smirked, shut my locker, and leaned against it to give her my attention.

"Hey. So, Cat did an awesome job, right?" I asked her, trying to break her from her cautious stance. I had no intention of taking back anything that happened between us.

"Yeah, um, you can barely tell. Listen, I wanted to ask you if-you know, are we-" she stuttered, gesticulating as she unsuccessfully tried to speak. I rolled my eyes and pushed off the lockers to take her hands in mine. I leaned in and pressed a firm but chaste kiss to her lips to shut her up. It took effect immediately.

"Yes. I'll see you at lunch Tori," I stated, brushing a hand across her cheek before leaving. There weren't much students in the hall at this time, but the handful that were present stared at the exchange in confusion and curiosity. It must really fuck with their heads to see two enemies leave for the weekend only to return as a couple. I laughed to myself as I walked. I could only guess what the others would think. Lunch rolled around sooner than I had thought possible. It must have been because I was lost in thought, and therefore, the time flew. I walked out to the Asphalt Café, grabbed some food, and took a seat next to Tori.

"Hey Vega, scoot over. I need room," I demanded in my usually biting tone, curious to see if she knew I was serious or not. She happily complied with her usual bright smile. My scowl dropped for a lazy smirk as I slid onto the bench.

"Having a good day?" she asked, a hand on my arm.

"Lovely if you count what I did to that poor defenseless dude who shamelessly tried to flirt with me," I replied. Out of the corner of my eyes I watched the others reactions waver constantly. They had no clue what to think about what they were seeing. Tori on the other hand, frowned before perking up again.

"Must you be so cruel to the innocent?" she questioned me.

"Yes, I must," I replied certainly. She sighed and turned to her food. I followed suit, both of us momentarily glancing up at our friends.

"What's goin' on here?" Andre spoke up.

"Jade and I are…well, we're-" Tori began to answer when I cut her off.

"We got a little too friendly when I spent the night at Vega's place so we decided, what the hell, let's go out," I told them nonchalantly with a hint of a suggestive quality. Beck's eyebrows rose, Cat looked confused, Andre's mouth hung open, and Robbie did a classic spit take. I was glad that annoying puppet wasn't around.

"Don't make it sound like we did anything like that," Tori scolded me. I laughed and slung my arm over her shoulder.

"You don't have to hide the fact you were all over me. I may have taken off my shirt but you were the eager one taking off my pants," I replied easily. She blushed, her hands gripping the bench under her.

"I was not eager! Plus, you know that was because-" she began but suddenly snapped her mouth shut, her eyes widening, before she glared at me. She fell right into my trap. She admitted to taking off my pants because it was true, but to the others, it would still go in my favor.

"I know that, but they don't," I whispered, leaning close to her so only she could hear. She shivered as I kissed her jaw before pulling away.

"Wow, it's weird seeing Jade so nice," Robbie commented. I shot him a glare which shut him up with a whimper.

"So wait, you two are really going out? That's great!" Andre said happily.

"Yeah, Jade needs someone to keep her in check and I always knew it would be you Tori," Beck told her.

"Shut up Beck," I grumbled, crossing my arms.

"Oh Jade, is Tori the one you were thinking about when you picked me up?" Cat exclaimed. I shifted in my seat before glancing at Tori. She was listening with a growing smirk of her own.

"Possibly," I muttered before returning my attention to my lunch and stubbornly ignoring everyone. They knew it was time to drop the subject and move on. I stayed quiet while an everyday conversation took place. I didn't bother resurfacing from my thoughts until I was heading for the door at the end of the day. I got to my car to see Tori lounging against the driver's side door, calmly waiting with a smile for me to arrive.

"Hey you," she greeted when I was standing in front of her. She gave me a hug and I captured her lips with mine before she pulled too far away from me.

"Hey doc, I think I need another check-up," I mumbled once we parted. The only thing that distracted me from my thoughts all day was the dull ache caused by the bruises.

"Is your back hurting?" she questioned, her hands smoothing over my back as she spoke. I nodded, closing my eyes when her hands rubbed circles into my still sore back.

"Ok then, let's get you home and I'll see what I can do," she suggested.

"I like where this is going," I teased, wiggling my eyebrows. She laughed and pecked me on the lips softly.

"Come on Jade," she giggled. I complied for once, letting her go so she could walk around to the other side. I slid in and started up the car.

"Just so you know, I expect a full body massage," I informed her. She laughed but nodded anyway.

"Anything for you my hero," she responded playfully.

"You're the life saver not me," I replied in disagreement.

"When it comes to you, I'm always happy to help," she stated sincerely. I tossed her a happy smile before returning my eyes to the road. I was so looking forward to that massage and just spending time with this girl I didn't think twice about saving. If someone told me Victoria Vega would be my girlfriend for years and years to come, I wouldn't use my scissors on them. I would have to agree that they were right and use my scissors to interrogate them about how they knew such a thing as well as demand to know what I could do to make that come true. Yeah, I may not have liked the girl before, but now all I could think about was Tori. Totally sappy and lame, I know, but so true. I should get into fights more often because I knew now that Tori would be there to patch me up again, just as she had done to my heart.


End file.
